Praxis Tacticum: The Art, Science and Practice of Military Tactics

Good teaching aid.

Colonel Oliviero's book is quite simply an amazingly good primer on applied tactics. As a former US Army Tank and Cavalry NCO, I wish we had this book back in the 1980s. It is an excellent resource for junior leaders, tank commanders (SSG) through company commanders (CPT) both for themselves and as a primer to use when training new lieutenants in mechanized and armor tactics. The author's long experience and his staff college education at the Bundeswehr's Kriegsakademie as well as his many years of teaching at the Canadian RMC have given him the necessary basis of knowledge and thinking to produce this gem. It ought to be required reading for every combat arms officer's basic course and advanced course in the English-speaking world. Colonel Oliviero's clear thinking and clear writing are complemented by an excellent selection of scenarios that walk the combat arms leader through a variety of missions. Despite the scenario approach, the focus is not on the "school solution approach" but rather on a mission orders approach that encourages both sound tactics and fee-thinking. The only drawback is that which Colonel Oliviero himself admits, he doesn't cover light infantry tactics, though many of his lessons do have crossover value. So in a sense, Colonel Oliviero delivers a challenge to all the experienced light-fighters out there, produce something as good for those poor walking sods.

COL Oliviero's compendium of military philosophy, fundamentals, battle drills, and exercises is the most refreshing modern study of war that I've seen since GEN Petraeus' Counterinsurgency manual. Oliviero deftly breaks down why Clausewitz, Jomini, Sun Tzu, and other military philosophers matter while exposing current Western militaries' trends toward anti-intellectualism and drill following. Pursuing that thread with historically proven German methods like Auftragstaktik or Mission Command, he teaches military leaders how to think and outwit their opponents. A powerful book that can be appreciated by cadets, NCOs, and company and field grade officers alike.